SearchAssist.net Appears Suddenly, How to Remove

remove Searchassist.net

OUTLINE

• Brief introduction on searchassist.net
• The function of SearchAssist.net
• Hidden Dangers from searchassist.net?
• Learn the way to remove Searchassist and restore the default homepage
• Other related post

Brief Introduction on SearchAssist.net

SearchAssist.net appears to be a search engine that would insert its domain into every search results just like Google does. SearchAssist might not be strange to PC users as its ads have long been active on the Internet. Apart from this, there are other weird features about the search engine:

1. Searchassist will not be removed by conventional ways.
2. Searchassist.net replaces search providers, homepage and sometimes new tabs without gaining permission.
3. Other web applications get onto the same machine thereafter.

What Does SearchAssist.net Do?

It is actually a tool to intercept traffic and help direct traffic to the operators/advertisers who pay the tool to get high exposure. This is why SearchAssist.net sticks to a machine. By adopting slight modifications to computing techniques like BHO and JS techniques that have been widely adopted in browsing field, Searchassist.net manages to stick to a machine without being stopped by installed anti-virus programs and flagged as malware though some PC users still think so.

Hidden Dangers from SearchAssist.net

Attention should always be paid on the sticky programs that install without permission and knowledge as something’s changed in the system configuration, which could leave adverse impact on compactness to be susceptible to infections.

As a freeware, Searchassist.net needs to bundle with third-party program for propagation. Therefore, it is undoubtedly that the browser hijacker would download and install those programs without asking for permission to the target machine. Consequently, the additional program would take up the limited resource and keep background processes busy, which could be easily taken advantage by infections. Besides, the data of random third-party program is stored in local disk by default. This could deteriorate the overall PC performance and the full play by critical part of a machine.

Learn the way to remove Searchassist and restore the default homepage

A. Reset browsers.


Internet Explorer: Tools menu > Internet Options > Advanced tab > Restore Defaults button > OK.



Mozilla Firefox:  Firefox button > Help > Troubleshooting information > ‘Reset Firefox’ button.


Google Chrome:‘Customize and Control Google Chrome’ menu > ‘Options’ > ‘Under the Hood’ > ‘Reset to Defaults’ button.

 
Opera: Show hidden files and folders (see Step B) > navigate to "C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\" > remove Operapref.ini.


Safari: Safari menu > ‘Reset Safari’ > tick all given options > ‘Reset’ button.




B. Show hidden files and folders to remove Temp file and the ones related to SearchAssist.net.





Windows 7/XP/Vista
‘Control Panel’ > 'user accounts and family safety' > 'Folder Options’ > View tab > tick ‘Show hidden files and folders' and non-tick 'Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ > ‘OK’.

Windows 8
Start screen > Windows Explorer > View tab > tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options > OK button.

a.when done, remove the given items:

C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Temp\
C:\WINDOWS\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Local Settings\Temporary Internet File

b. navigate to the following directories and remove the items generated on and after the date when SearchAssist.net was firstly detected:

C:\Windows
%SystemDriver%\
C:\Program Files\
C:\windows\system32\
C:\users\user\appdata\local\
C:\Users\[your username]\Documents\
c:\users\[username]\appdata\locallow\

Mac OS X
Finder > Utilities folder > Terminal > copy and paste "defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES" > return key > copy and paste the "killall Finder" > return key.

a. remove temp files and folders:

Finder > Utilities folder > terminal:

1. type

   cd ~/Library/Logs
   sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Logs/*

   and press Return button.
2. type

   rm -rf ~/Library/Safari/Downloads.plist
   cd ~/Library/Caches
   sudo rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/*

   and press Return button.

b. access the following locations to remove the items generated on and after the date when SearchAssist.net was firstly detected:

Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Home folder/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ 
Applications
Dock
Display

C. Modify Hosts file.


Windows
Win+R key combination > type CMD > hit Enter key > type "ping www.searchassist.net" > Enter key > note down the IP address > navigate to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc > click open Hosts file > paste the IP address to the last line > save file.



Mac OS X
Finder launchpad icon > Utilities > Terminal > type "ping www.searchassist.net" > Enter/Return key > note down the IP address > shift+command+g key combination > type “etc” (/private/etc/hosts) > Enter/Return key > click open Hosts file > paste the IP address to the last line > save it to modify host file.

It is recommended to adopt manual way in removing Searchassist.net as it contains no vicious attribute code. It is also advisable to remove all the related programs to the browser hijacker so that the PC performance will not be influenced badly and that its re-image will not occur easily until carelessness is again employed on the Internet. For corresponding solution, please navigate to virus reservoir.

Other Related Post

Is SearchAssist Virus? Should I Remove SearchAssist?